Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has been placed in custody at the High Court in Edinburgh after admitting to embezzling £400,310.65 from the party. The 62-year-old, who is the estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon, confessed to the charges during his court appearance on Monday.
Murrell was accused of diverting funds from the SNP between August 2010 and October 2022. He showed up at the High Court dressed in a black suit and tie. The sentencing is scheduled for June 23.
Using the party’s finances, Murrell acknowledged purchasing a motorhome, luxury items, and contributing to buying two cars. He was initially arrested in April 2023 as part of a police inquiry into the SNP’s financial affairs and formally charged in April 2024.
During a court appearance in March 2025 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Murrell faced a charge of embezzlement but did not enter a plea. The indictment detailed instances where he allegedly used party money to acquire personal assets, including a motorhome worth £124,550 in 2020.
Murrell had served as the SNP’s chief executive for over two decades until stepping down in 2023 during a leadership contest following Ms. Sturgeon’s tenure. The couple, once prominent figures in UK politics, decided to end their marriage in January the previous year.
The conviction of Murrell stems from Operation Branchform, a police investigation initiated in 2021 focusing on the SNP’s financial activities. The operation, which led to numerous high-profile arrests, incurred a policing cost exceeding £2 million.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston described the case as intricate due to the extensive criminal behavior over 12 years and Murrell’s efforts to conceal his actions. Houston highlighted Murrell’s misuse of party funds to sustain an extravagant lifestyle, emphasizing that he must now face the repercussions of his misconduct.
